The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) announced on Friday that measles cases continue to soar across the country.
\nAccording to the latest data, South Africa has recorded 227 cases of laboratory-confirmed measles cases for specimens collected between 8 October and 17 December across all provinces.
\nStatistics show that 216 laboratory-confirmed cases were reported from five provinces with a declared measles outbreak, namely Limpopo (110 cases), Mpumalanga (64 cases), North West (27 cases), Gauteng (10 cases), and Free State (five cases).
\nThis comes after the NICD declared a measles outbreak after three cases from two healthcare facilities were reported in Limpopo in October.
\n\u201cThe number of cases continues to increase daily, as blood and throat swabs are submitted to the NICD for measles serology and PCR testing,\u201d the public health institution said.
\nAccording to the NICD, prevention and control of measles outbreaks can only be achieved through vaccination.
\nMeasles patients present with fever, rash, and one or more of these symptoms – cough, red eyes and runny nose.
\nComplications of measles include pneumonia, diarrhoea, dehydration, encephalitis, blindness and death.
\n\u201cClinicians across the country are urged to be on the lookout for measles cases. It is understood that the health departments in the respective provinces have commenced with or are planning immunisation campaigns,\u201d the NICD said. <\/p>\n
Source: South African Government News Agency<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"